UFC middleweight prospect Paulo Costa has been under doping suspicions for a while now. Some videos of him injecting IV have also previously surfaced on the internet. However, he had denied all such doping allegations. Though, now he has indeed been found guilty of injecting IVs. The IVs are particularly considered illegal because Costa did not get a therapeutic use exemption for IVs.

Costa and his trainer Carlos Costa, who administered him the IV doses, have been found guilty of doing this on 2 occasions. He first received after making weight for his fight against Oluwale Bamgbose at UFC 212. He then received it after making weight for his fight against former UFC welterweight champion Johnny Hendricks at UFC 217.

The USADA and CABMMA fined $4000 for his UFC 212 injection and $9333 for his UFC 217 injection and also collectively suspended the member of his athlete support personnel Carlos Costa for six moths. However, his suspension retrospectively began from August 10, 2018 to February 10, 2019.

Below is the statement from the USADA press release:

Paulo Costa’s use of a prohibited method on June 2, 2017 also falls under the jurisdiction of the Comissão Atlética Brasileira de MMA (CABMMA), which has recognized USADA’s sanction and will additionally fine Paulo $4,000 (1/3 of the UFC 212 purse), all of which will revert to his opponent in UFC 212. In addition, the New York State Athletic Commission has resolved Paulo Costa’s case arising from the November 3, 2017, IV with no period of ineligibility and a $9,333.33 fine (1/3 of the UFC 217 purse). Neither Commission will impose any additional sanction on Carlos Costa.